Iraqi parliament changes rules for rejecting the constitution
Iraq, Politics, 10/4/2005

In a telling sign of what the future of the Iraqi constitution may face against politicians who are determined to push their way, as deposed President Saddam Hussein had previously done, in interpreting the constitution any which way he chose, unconstrained by a judicial review process, the Iraqi parliament has decided to redefine what a "voter" is, as specified in the interim constitution.

The Iraqi parliament has tightened the conditions for rejecting the country's next draft constitution which will be voted for in a referendum on October 15.

A statement issued by the parliament on Monday said that the constitution can not be rejected unless "two thirds of the registered voters" vote against it in three governorates, instead of those who actually vote. It is not clear if such an interpretation of what a "voter" is, exists anywhere else in the world.

Article 61 of the state's running law for the interim phase which was drawn by the interim rule council in 2004 determined the rules of voting in the referendum by using the expression "voter" without defining whether the matter pertains to registered voters or those who cast their votes.

On Sunday, the Iraqi parliament approved a document for the legal committee that states to take into account the number of persons who cast their votes to approve the constitution and the registered ones to reject it, which makes the latter option (rejection) very difficult.

Large number of Iraqi political and religious leaders called for voting "no" to the constitution, considering that the federalism stated in the text of the constitution will lead to the partitioning of the country.

Meantime, NewsWeek reported about a leaked UN report in which the report said that the Iraqi constitution is a recipe for the partitioning of Iraq.

Previous Stories:
  An inter Iraqi crisis looms   (10/4/2005)
  Rice: a new Iraq parliament under the new constitution may address interest of all   (10/3/2005)
  Iraq's FM apologizes over interior minister's insults to Saudi Arabia   (10/3/2005)
  Sunnis want constitution to be only changed under referendum; strict majority   (10/1/2005)

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